An efficient environmentally friendly CuFe2O4/SiO2 catalyst for vanillyl mandelic acid oxidation in water under atmospheric pressure and a mechanism study

Aimed at the green production of vanillin, a highly efficient environmentally friendly oxidation system was introduced to oxidize VMA with a porous CuFe2O4/SiO2 component nano-catalyst in aqueous solution under atmospheric pressure.

EVALUATION OF CAUSATIVE FACTORS IN AMLODIPINE INDUCED PEDAL EDEMA

Objective: To study the edema causing factors in hypertensive, amlodipine-induced pedal edema patients.Methods: The present was a prospective, observational study. A total of one hundred and twenty-four essential hypertensive patients, of either gender attending the outpatient department of cardiology and medicine, were recruited for this study. Out of the 124 patients, 62 were of the amlodipine-induced pedal edema [AIPE] group and other 62 patients were amlodipine-treated non-edema [ATNE] group. All the patients were receiving a dosage of amlodipine 5 mg/day. All recruited patients completed the study. The present study conducted at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal.Results: The vanillyl mandelic acid (VMA) (mean±SD) 7.08±2.3 mg/24 h and 4.9±1.7 mg/24 h in AIPE and ATNE groups respectively. Blood pressure (BP) and VMA was higher in AIPE group than the ATNE group (p<0.001). Pulse rate (PR), serum proteins, creatinine, sodium, osmolality, did not show any significant difference between the two study groups.Conclusion: In essential hypertensive patients with AIPE group presented with a higher VMA level than the ATNE group. The elevated catecholamine’s possibly the causative factor for AIPE.

Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy of Urinary Free Metanephrines, Vanillyl Mandelic Acid, and Catecholamines and Plasma Catecholamines for Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma

Context: Recent evidence suggests that plasma-free metanephrines provide a highly sensitive test in patients requiring exclusion of pheochromocytoma. The diagnostic efficacy of urinary free metanephrines, however, has not been evaluated. Objective, Design, Setting, Patients, and Outcome Measures: We compared retrospectively the diagnostic efficacy of 24-h urinary free metanephrines with our currently available measurements of 24-h urinary vanillyl mandelic acid (VMA), urinary catecholamines, and plasma catecholamines in 159 outpatients tested in a tertiary referral center for pheochromocytoma over a 4-yr period. Results: The sensitivity of urinary free metanephrines was 100% [25 of 25 patients; 95% confidence interval (CI) 86–100%)] compared with the sensitivity of 84% (21 of 25; 95% CI 64–95%) for urinary catecholamines; 72% (18 of 25; 95% CI 51–88%) for urinary VMA; and 76% (16 of 21; 95% CI 53–92%) for plasma catecholamines. The specificity of urinary free metanephrines was 94% (116 of 123; 95% CI 89–98%), compared with the specificity of 99% (127 of 129; 95% CI 96–100%) for urinary catecholamines; 96% (130 of 134; 95% CI 91–98%) for urinary VMA; and 88% (66 of 75; 95% CI 78–94%) for plasma catecholamines. Receiver operating characteristic curves for all test groups were generated. Pairwise comparisons of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for urinary free metanephrines with that of each of the other three test groups individually were: 0.993 (95% CI 0.962–0.999) vs. 0.919 (95% CI 0.862–0.957, P = 0.032) for urine catecholamines; 0.993 (95% CI 0.962–0.999) vs. 0.846 (95% CI 0.778–0.900, P = 0.002) for urine VMA; and 0.992 (95% CI 0.945–0.998) vs. 0.852 (95% CI 0.762–0.918, P = 0.009) for plasma catecholamines. Testing with urinary free metanephrines failed to misidentify a single case of pheochromocytoma, compared with four missed cases for urinary catecholamines, seven missed cases for urinary VMA, and five missed cases for plasma catecholamines. Conclusion: Urinary free metanephrines were superior to urinary VMA, urinary catecholamines, and plasma catecholamines and can provide a valuable test for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in adults.

Plasma levels of chromogranin A are directly proportional to tumour burden in neuroblastoma

A novel animal experimental model involving the human, poorly differentiated, and adrenergic neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y xenotransplanted to subcutaneous tissue of 13 nude rats (WAG rnu/rnu) was used to investigate the usefulness of six proposed neuroblastoma markers. It was shown that the plasma concentrations of human chromogranin A (CgA) as measured by RIA were directly proportional to tumour volume (r=0·83, P<0·001). To rule out possible liberation of CgA by tumour cell lysis, the CgA degradation product pancreastatin was also measured in plasma by a specific RIA, but was not detectable. Plasma neurone-specific enolase (NSE) was elevated in tumour-bearing animals (P<0·01), but did not correlate with tumour volume (r=0·49, P>0·05). Urine homovanillic acid (HVA), detected by HPLC, was elevated in tumour-bearing animals (P<0·01), but did not correlate with tumour volume (r=−0·32, P>0·05). Urine vanillyl mandelic acid was not detectable. Urine dopamine was found in low concentrations that did not correlate with tumour volume. In summary, although plasma NSE and urinary HVA were elevated in tumour-bearing animals only plasma CgA correlated with tumour burden. This makes CgA a promising biochemical marker for neuroblastomas. Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 151, 225–230